[Tube Works Tube Driver] with the Maestro EP-3

Hello. This is sukuta takafumi (@sukutakafumi).
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sukutakafumi

Today, I would like to introduce the Tube Driver.

First of all, I made a review video, so please watch it.

This time, I am using the Maestro EP-3 in combination with Tube Driver.
I tried to make the sound close to Eric Johnson's lead tone.

○ About this Tube Driver

There are many types of Tube Drivers, such as Bk Butler and Chandler, but the one being introduced is from Tube Works.
Tube Drivers are favored by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, and Eric Johnson.
The sound changes depending on the age and manufacturer, but this Tube Driver can also get a smooth overdrive sound.

○ About the specifications of this Tube Driver

As the name notes, it contains a 12AX7 vacuum tube.
The 12AX7 is mainly used as a pre-tube for vacuum tube amplifiers.
Depending on the brand and age of th 12AX7, the distortion and glossiness will change, which will greatly affect the sound.

Instead of being driven by a 9V adapter, the power cord comes out directly into the effector and plugs it into an electrical outlet.
There are four controls: Out Level, Bass, Treble, and Drive.

○ Direction of sound

Actually, this pedal is really interesting.
It's basically a smooth overdrive, but if you set the treble higher, you can get a fuzz-like sound.
And depending on the settings, you can make a wide range of sounds.

In the latter half of the video, I played with each knob to change the sound, so please listen to it.

○ About making the sound in this video

The main sound I made this time is made with Eric Johnson's lead tone in mind. So, in the Helix Lt setting, I selected a Marshall type and it is a little cloudy.
I can also get closer to Johnson’s sound by using an Echoplex.

The Echoplex is a vintage EP-3 model that Eric Johnson also uses, and is a real tape echo.
Combining this with a tube driver will result in a smoother sound, and the EP-3 will naturally boost it, resulting in a good lead tone.

○ Author's general comment

I played it for the first time in a while, but it's a distortion that can produce interesting sounds, not just for those who like Eric Johnson.
It can be used widely, and as you can see in the video, the thickness of the sound changes dramatically just by controlling the treble and bass, and the tone also changes.

I think it's interesting to use this kind of old equipment to differentiate yourself from other players.
Effectors in recent years are certainly excellent, and you can easily get a good sound. However, being easy to obtain means that, in the extreme, anyone can produce the same sound.
Old-fashioned effectors are commonplace, but I think they are made on the assumption that they will be connected to a tube amp, so connecting them to a Jazz Chorus will often provide good results.

It may be difficult, but it's interesting to use effectors that people don't often use to find your own guitar tone, and it's a good experience.

▼ The following equipment is used in the review video.

Guitar:
Kanji Guitar Stratocaster (https://twitter.com/KanjiKawabata)

Effector:
Tube Works Tube Driver
Line6 / Helixlt

The Helix is set to a Marshall amp, and other spatial effects are set on the computer.